


All of These Things. Or None of Them.

by Alethia



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Ending, Cross-Posted on LiveJournal, Gen, Implied Slash, M/M, POV Female Character, Pepper Pov, Post-Civil War (Marvel)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-09
Updated: 2016-05-09
Packaged: 2018-06-07 07:29:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6794353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alethia/pseuds/Alethia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"This is hardly the first time Stark Industries has done something questionable. It won't be the last." Pepper had no illusions about that, never had. It was the cost of doing business in the real world and she accepted it. Excelled at it, if she was honest. </p><p>Normally she might hesitate at letting Captain America in on that truth. But then, he'd brought an infamous Soviet-brainwashed cyborg assassin into her secret lab; normal was probably out the window.</p>
            </blockquote>





	All of These Things. Or None of Them.

**Author's Note:**

> _CA:CW_ alternate ending. What if Steve had taken Bucky to Pepper for help? That turned into a hardcore look at Pepper. These things happen. Also available [on LJ](http://alethialia.livejournal.com/750974.html).

"Thanks for this, Pepper," Steve said quietly, his gaze never leaving Bucky. 

Bucky looked fragile surrounded by the white lab and sleek machinery, sitting shirtless and still in an examination chair. He _looked_ fragile, but Pepper knew he wasn't. Maybe that was part of what made the Winter Soldier so effective; you never saw him coming. 

Pepper turned from where the doctor was assessing the extent of the damage to Bucky's arm. She smiled at Steve, still scraped and dirty in his uniform, allowing the genuine affection she felt to shine through. 

"You're a good man, Steve," Pepper said warmly.

"And a wanted fugitive," Bucky said, an edge to it, like he was making a point in an ongoing argument.

Steve just looked hard at Bucky, something passing between them. Pepper flicked her eyes from Bucky back to Steve. Interesting. 

So she stepped in: "This is hardly the first time Stark Industries has done something questionable. It won't be the last." Pepper had no illusions about that, never had. It was the cost of doing business in the real world and she accepted it. Excelled at it, if she was honest. 

Normally she might hesitate at letting Captain America in on that truth. But then, he'd brought an infamous Soviet-brainwashed cyborg assassin into her secret lab; normal was probably out the window. 

"It's not Stark Industries doing something questionable," Steve said in that earnest way he had, acknowledging the personal risk she was taking. 

Pepper smiled again, this time letting just a touch of ego shine through. "I _am_ Stark Industries," she reminded him, simple as that. 

Steve blinked, once, seemingly taken aback. 

Maybe she should dial down the ego, then. He probably had enough of that with Tony. And Tony—

No. She wasn't dwelling on that. 

"But it's not just you here," Bucky said, rough, his gaze settled on the doctor—Dr. Eddie Ramos, one of their best—eyes cold. 

"And we _appreciate_ that," Steve said, an edge to his voice now, obviously sending Bucky a message.

Bucky looked down. He must not want to get into it in front of her. 

"Trust me, discretion is paramount around here. No one will hear about this, not even Tony."

 _She_ was the damn CEO; she called the shots. She didn't need to inform Tony, nor did she need his approval. About this or anything else. 

Whether she wanted it...well. She wasn't going there right now. 

Bucky met her eyes, like that would tell him everything he needed to know. Pepper let him look his fill. If it made him feel better, why not? At this point, she was an expert at masking anything she didn't want seen. 

She also happened to be telling the truth, so there was that. 

After a moment, Bucky nodded. His shoulders relaxed just a fraction, a tiny thing, but it made all the difference. Beside her, Steve mirrored him, the coiled tension in his frame finally releasing. 

Pepper wondered if they realized the way they reacted to each other. She might mention it sometime, just to see if it led anywhere useful.

Dr. Ramos finally finished his diagnostic, brow furrowed, clearly perplexed. He shoved his glasses up his nose as he shook his head. "How did this happen?"

"We were in a...fight," Steve said, clearly reluctant, so obviously it had to do with Tony. Steve had been vague about the circumstances even on his initial call, sticking only to the immediacy of the problem and the necessity for secrecy. A brief glance at the news explained the latter, but if the cause were anything other than Tony he would have been upfront about it. 

"Iron Man blew it off," Pepper said to Dr. Ramos. He didn't react at all, just nodded thoughtfully and returned to the schematics and calculations flying across his digital wallscreen. 

One of their best, indeed. She'd need to evaluate his compensation package and make sure it remained generous enough given the current marketplace. 

Steve and Bucky, on the other hand, stared at her like she'd suddenly developed the ability to read minds and they were worried what else she'd discover. 

Which meant they thought they were hiding something. Interesting. 

Pepper looked at them frankly. "You've been squirrelly. I can extrapolate."

Bucky's lips quirked, but Steve immediately went apologetic. "I'm sorry. Tony mentioned—I didn't know if you'd be willing to help, given...everything."

Pepper reached out, laying a comforting hand on Steve's forearm. She could _feel_ Bucky zeroing in on that, but she didn't move her eyes from Steve's: "You're my friend and you need help. The rest is just details."

"Some pretty grisly details," Bucky said. Growled, really. 

So Pepper dropped her hand and looked to him. "Whatever happened, it doesn't matter. All I care about is keeping you safe. Both of you." She included Steve in that with a look, but refocused on Bucky. He was the most resistant. 

Because she had touched Steve or because she ran Stark Industries? Or was it just his nature? It could be all of those things or none of them. She couldn't get a read on him.

She made a mental note to have a behavioral psychologist review the surveillance footage. There might be a way to optimize her approach to Bucky. 

Steve rubbed the back of his neck, discomfort clear. "About what happened..."

"Don't," Pepper said instantly. 

Steve's head snapped up, startled. He opened his mouth to say something, then shut it again. Conflict flashed clear across his face. 

Pepper softened her voice, trying to smooth it over. "I know Tony told you we broke up. He probably failed to mention why." 

Steve swallowed. Then he nodded the point, almost apologetic. 

As if Pepper didn't know exactly how Tony would play it, please. She shook her head. "It's because of this." She gestured to Bucky's arm, to the dynamic between them that led to it. "Tony loves the fight. I love Tony being alive. Those two things don't seem to be compatible right now, so I stepped away. Whatever you got into with Iron Man...I don't want to know about it."

Steve simply nodded, accepting it, devastating compassion in his eyes. Pepper had known him for years and even she felt it tug at her, the essential goodness that made him a worldwide phenomenon. 

"Good, 'cause I gotta say, your ex is a dick," Bucky said into the silence.

Pepper smiled at that, both for the joke and the fact that Bucky seemed to be warming up to her. Or accepting her help, anyway. Maybe it was the perceived connection to Tony that had been bothering him.

"I'm told it runs in the family," she said lightly, getting an exhausted smile from Steve. He looked like adrenaline had been fueling him and it was in danger of crashing down.

That was heartening. It meant he felt safe here. 

Maria walked into the lab then, instantly clocking everyone and everything in that disconcerting way spies had. She wore black tactical gear, having never really taken to the whole civilian thing. Probably because she wasn't a civilian. Pepper exchanged nods with her as she joined them. 

Maria nodded to Steve, as well. "Captain." 

Steve opened his mouth to return it, then reconsidered. "What is your title these days?"

"I've been going by Your Royal Badass."

"Well, that's always been true," Steve deadpanned. 

Maria smiled and stepped close, nudging him companionably. "Glad you exfiled all right."

"Almost all right," Steve said, nodding to Bucky's missing arm. "Maria Hill, Sergeant Bucky Barnes."

Maria nodded. "A pleasure, Sergeant. I hope you can live up to Rogers' stories."

Bucky looked startled to be on the receiving end of polite conversation. It took him a moment, but he finally responded: "Nothing but lies."

Pepper smiled along with everyone else. Bucky had probably been dealing with people talking _about_ him rather than to him. Of course he'd be surprised. 

Pepper made another mental note, this time to bring a psychiatrist on site, an expert in combat trauma and PTSD. She kept several on staff, one of the many changes she'd instituted as CEO. Given all the traumas her people endured, it was downright necessary. 

As if on cue, Maria handed her a tablet, a personnel transfer authorization assigning Dr. Richard Tran to a special psych assignment. 

It was downright refreshing to work with capable people. 

Pepper used her fingernail to scrawl her signature, then handed the tablet back. "You're the best hire I ever made."

"That's true."

Dr. Ramos resurfaced then, waving a hand at Bucky's missing arm. "This is no problem. We'll have to extract what's left of the old bionic arm from his shoulder." He turned to look at Bucky. "It'll hurt."

"What else is new?" Bucky grumbled. 

"How bad?" Steve asked, a little line forming between his eyebrows. 

Dr. Ramos considered. "We'll put him under for the operation, but recovery will be rough."

Steve seemed like he wanted to say something to that, but Bucky stared him down, another silent conversation passing between them. At the end, Steve simply nodded and kept his peace. 

_Very_ interesting. 

A glance to Maria told Pepper that she'd caught all of that, too, and found it just as notable. But as usual Maria just went with it: "What timeframe are we looking at?" she asked Dr. Ramos.

"Design-wise, we already have schematics to work with. It'll just be a matter of modifying them for the latest upgrades. The materials will take us the most time. I'm requisitioning the necessary adamantium and titanium alloy now."

"If you need vibranium, King T'Challa might be willing to part with some," Steve offered. 

Dr. Ramos looked stunned at the prospect. "That changes things." He couldn't hide his relish at the thought of getting to work with it. 

Scientists and their toys. It never changed. 

"While you're at it, you could make a new shield for Cap here," Bucky put in. 

"Buck—"

"Stark demanded it from you, Stark can give it back," Bucky said, gesturing at the lab around them, refusing to back down. 

Pepper resisted the urge to smile. The way these two defended each other... 

"Depending on what the king is willing to part with, I'm sure Dr. Ramos can work something out," Pepper said. A brief glance to him confirmed her kid-in-a-candy-store prediction, the most emotion she'd ever seen from him. 

He quickly composed himself. "I'll need more personnel."

Pepper nodded. She'd expected that. "Maria?"

Maria was all easy agreement; she had probably planned all of this and then some. "I'll obscure the metal and personnel requisitions in our records so it looks routine." Dr. Ramos nodded and went back to his calculations. "And we'll set up a secure comm link with the king for you," she said to Steve. 

"As well as rooms in the facility," Pepper said. "You'll be here a while."

Something hardened in Steve's face. His gaze unerringly returned to Bucky's.

"About that," Steve started, then stopped when Bucky lifted his chin. The two of them once again locked themselves in a silent debate, neither able to look away, apparently disinclined to share with the rest of the class. 

So Pepper simply played the audience, Maria silent beside her. She wondered if they even remembered others were watching. Maria's amused glance shared that thought. 

"You can't," Steve told Bucky, deadly serious. 

Bucky really didn't like that answer: "If anyone's gonna mess with Wilson, it's gonna be me," he said darkly. He shifted, about to stand—

"I need you still, Sergeant," Dr. Ramos ordered, freezing Bucky in place at the authority in his voice. "We're doing a millimeter scan. You can't move."

Bucky looked mildly shocked to be ordered around so...but he stayed right where he was. 

Pepper _really_ needed to check on that compensation package. 

Maria was focused on something else entirely: "Is _that_ what you two are on about?" she scoffed. "I already have a quinjet ready to take us to the Raft. A strike team's standing by."

Pepper blinked, but made sure to keep the surprise out of her expression. She knew Steve's team wasn't with him, but didn't realize they'd been imprisoned. Maria clearly did, however, and Pepper trusted her to handle these situations. If she thought they needed to be rescued, then they would be rescued. 

Steve looked as surprised as Pepper felt, but he didn't bother to hide it: "You...really?"

"What, did you think you were gonna swim?" Maria asked, bone dry. 

"Don't give him ideas," Bucky shot back.

Steve was still stuck on the rescue thing, though. "It's one thing to hide us and help Bucky, but an assault on a secret prison is a completely different kettle of fish."

"Barton was one of _my_ men. I'm not letting him rot." The heat of Maria's vehemence burned along Pepper's senses. Even she could see this was a foregone conclusion. 

So could Steve: "You're damn right we're not," he said, just as fierce. He looked back to Bucky, who'd shut down a little more, seeming to understand where this was heading. "But you can't come, Buck."

"Even with one arm, I'm worth at least five guys. Or gals," Bucky added with a glance to Maria. 

"It's too risky and you know it. We'll get the others back. We'll get you whole."

Bucky smiled a horrible, bitter thing. "I'll never be whole."

Steve's eyes screamed determination. "Then we're gonna die trying." And once again, they stepped into their own world, everyone else extraneous. 

Pepper took that opportunity to raise a discreet eyebrow at Maria. She inclined her head toward Steve, not apologetic or unsure in the slightest. 

That was good enough for Pepper. 

After another moment, Steve pulled himself away from Bucky and turned his attention to them. "It's decided. I go with your team, he stays. Now how do we do this?"

"Funny thing about secret underwater prisons," Maria said with a smirk. "They have to be airtight." 

***

"Pepper, wait up," Steve called, stepping away from the planning session to follow her down the hall. 

Pepper stopped walking, trying to ignore the fact that these heels would be the death of her. Who wore heels in their secret lab hideout, anyway? But she'd been so focused on being impenetrable, every stray hair perfectly in place. Because of course she had. 

So she pasted on a smile and turned as Steve caught up to her. "Did you need something else?" she asked, ever attentive. 

"No, you've done everything you could, which is kinda the issue." Steve shook his head. "Look, I don't mean to question your motives, but, well. We aren't that good of friends."

"But you don't mean to question my motives," Pepper said dryly.

Steve smiled, rueful. "Except for the part where I question your motives."

"I can't help someone out of the goodness of my heart?" Pepper asked innocently.

"Is that what you're doing?" Steve returned, simple and direct as ever. 

Pepper inclined her head. "Of course. I'm also aware that it's not a terrible thing to have Captain America owe me a favor."

Pepper watched as her words registered, Steve's eyes widening as he thought it through. He studied her for a moment, clearly taking her measure. She wondered what he saw. The friend, offering support? The former assistant, solidifying authority? The CEO, making a power play? All of those things? None? Pepper didn't give him anything, let him interpret as he would, but she did wonder. 

Finally, Steve nodded, once. "It's good we're on the same page."

Pepper smiled, sweet and light once more. "Better get back. Maria just might leave without you." 

***

"We're wheels-up in five," Maria said as she unceremoniously walked into Pepper's office.

"Don't get caught," Pepper said bluntly.

"I think I'm insulted."

"That's what the money's for."

Maria grinned appreciatively and turned to go. Before she reached the door, she stopped herself, looking back. "You didn't ask."

Pepper regarded her steadily, knowing what was coming.

"Rescuing the others," Maria continued. "You didn't ask if it's loyalty or a Steve play."

Pepper gestured out her windows, overlooking the one riotous bay on a little island that maps had forgotten. "The world out there, all those people, they expect us to be one thing. But you and I? We know better."

"That we do."

"Loyalty, a Steve play, a Fury play," Maria blinked at that suggestion, but Pepper continued on: "All of these things, none of them...as long as our interests are aligned, it doesn't really matter."

Maria stared at her for a moment, thinking it through. Finally: "Fury would like you."

Pepper shot her a sweet smile. "Everybody likes me."

***

Fin. Feedback is adored.


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